The mediality of pre-recorded digital performing arts on YouTube: a skills-development module

Abstract

This article assessed the efficacy of a skills-development module in pre-recorded digital performing arts (PRDPA) that was presented as an online workshop within the South African educational paradigm. The PRDPA module embraces the democratization of online media that the internet, in specific YouTube offers. PRDPA skills may enable young performers to introduce themselves to an online audience, promote themselves as performing artists and facilitate the efficacy of their online presence and digital footprint. The article drew on the theoretical domain of mediality, which included online presence, digital performance and PRDPA; and on the domain of education, which included social constructivism, and teaching and learning in a social network environment. The research was conducted as a qualitative, empirical study following a case study approach that made use of elements of cyberethnography and a differentiated comparative analysis. The pre-workshop videos and the videos that were created as part of the workshop by the workshop participants were analyzed, as well as the responses of a group of experts to the material generated by the participants before and after the presentation of the module. The analysis was supported by an evaluation of the module by the participants.